July, 2015

Because I will be leaving tomorrow and will not return until July 3rd, I am publishing the July edition early.

My intention was to present my collection series this month but on the 20th of June I had a 'Gathering of the Goddesses Shrine Party' to honor the Summer Solstice.  So many beautiful works of art were created.  I decided to share them with you instead.

It was a very special day.  Fourteen women gathered to create an homage, an altar or a shrine.

I hope you enjoy their creativity!

I did not have the opportunity to photograph everyone and some shrines were not photographed as they were not completed.

"Goddess of Wild Places"

by Maria Anderson

 

"To Bee or Not to Bee"

 by Maria Anderson

Maria Anderson

"Shrine to Creativity"

by Lisa Brown

Lisa Brown
 

"Bogey Beloved"

by Maria D'Agrosa-Sweney

Backside of "Bogey Beloved"

Maria D'Agrosa-Sweney

"Hiroshima"

 by Judith Duncan

Judith Duncan

"Goddess of the Blessed Schnitzel"

by Linda Gottlieb

Linda Gottlieb and her sidekick, Josey

"Mother & Matron"

by Barbara Oline

 

"Diana & Me"

by Marian Jackson

Left to Right:  Linda Gottlieb, Marian Jackson, Barbara Oline

"Shrine to the Release of Stress"

by Chris Fairchild

Chris Fairchild

As we were creating, Chris made the comment "It's

so quiet and we're not eating."

 "Spirit Dwelling"

By Kai Harper

"Ode to Summer Solstice"

by Kathleen Vanderbrook

"

"Roy Rogers Tribute"

by Mary LaCroix

"Japanese Pilgrimage"

 by me...Gayle Montgomery

Kay Pitiglio

 Kay was still working on her shrine...we wish her well.

I hope you have enjoyed the change of pace in this blog.  There is nothing like the camaraderie of

a group of creatives gathering to share a special event.

Until we 'create' again, I will close.

You may find me on Pinterest and soon an updated website.

Contact me anytime at:  livingartontheedge@gmail.com 

 

JUNE, 2015

Have you noticed how life can get in the way?  Or is it the fact that we just want to accomplish so much and there is not time for it all?  

My goal has been to complete several pieces to share each month but maybe I should be satisfied with what I did complete and am able to share with you.  When I am creative and 'in the zone' I am happy.  That should be satisfaction enough.

 ***

"She Devoured Books" 

Most of my friends are avid readers.  I devote this piece to the 'armchair travelers' in my life!

***

The Inveterate Traveler

Everyday was a new adventure.

She loved travel and she loved her home.

Who says you cannot have both?

One week maybe longer in Vietnam.

Another in the jungles of Africa.

From the time she could read, she began to travel.

***

"Eyewitness News"

 

   One of my worst habits is the daily news.  I am an addict!  Whether it is the television, NPR, the NY Times or the Huffington Post, I cannot seem to avoid it.  Are there rehab programs for the likes of me?  Is it merely a desire to be informed or pure habit?

*** 

Give Peace a Chance

I miss John.

He would have had the answers.

He wanted to change the world.

His gimmicks were outrageous

but his heart was a peaceful heart.

What is our part

in creating a better world?

Think peace.

Pray peace.

Be peace.

Make peace our daily mantra.

Give peace a chance.

***

If any pieces are of interest to you, please contact me at:  livingartontheedge@gmail.com

Next month I have an unusual creative goal.  In the stylings of Candy Jernigan, I am going to compile a variety of collections.  It will be a wild and crazy ride...are you ready?

 

MAY, 2015

As I was traveling for a large portion of the month, this blog will be rather short.  There is inspiration in everything and before I set out to visit family I thought of my life as a child and my first piece is a result.

  "Fish Out of Water"

My parents were unique for the area I was raised in and they gave us free rein to be individuals.  For this I am forever grateful.  In many ways my brothers and I did not fit in to what was considered the norm...this made us strong.

Fish Out of Water

Salmon swim upstream

often casting themselves

 out of the water to spawn.

They are unique.

We are unique.

In being ourselves

we become outcasts.

In some circles

we are considered

fish out of water.

 

"Finding Direction"

 

A dear friend of mine retired this last month.  Our work often becomes our identity; so she, as many others before her, is finding 'new direction' in her life.  This piece is dedicated to Lisa.

Growth

The tree stands even yet

dispersing acorns

in its elder years.

New life springs from old

and one day

it too will find its way

its way to warm our winters.

In closing, I wish each and everyone of you a happily creative life this month.  It matters not what your creative outlet is...culinary, voice, gardening, etc...they are what makes each and everyone of us unique and creative.

 

 

 

LIVING THE ARTFUL LIFE

APRIL, 2015

My inspiration this month has come from the late, great Lenore Tawney.  She was a fabric artist but also worked in collage.   Her friends were gifted with unique postcards and many of these can be viewed in the book "Signs on the Wind".

To add more interest I have written small pieces of prose to accompany my artwork for April. 

"ETUDE UNDONE"

 

Vocal music was my major in college and my Composition professor had us write a piece...I decided to write an 'etude' much to my own demise.  I worked and re-worked the piece  then out of frustration I tore it into small pieces and threw it out my dormitory window out of frustration.

UNDONE

It came in bits and pieces.

A rejection.

A failure.

Try again.

But then it came undone.

*****

"SMALL CONVERSATIONS"

Especially in the warmer months I hear the pleasurable sounds of the children at play next door.  It fills my heart with joy; yet sadness for too soon these days pass.

CHILDHOOD

Small voices.

Laughter.

Playful chatter.

A world filled with wonder.

Let me shout "Carpe diem". 

*****

"NEXT RIGHT"

 

Every life is filled with choices and one simple decision can change the direction of an entire life.

DIRECTION

A right here; a left there.

Forks in every road.

Lives forever altered.

*****

"A HISTORY OF LANGUAGE"

 

Recently I attended the Taos Shortz Film Festival.  Film among many other things is a form of language.  Actions truly can say more than words.  This piece was inspired by the festival.

HOW CAN I SAY IT?

Cave drawings,

silent films,

the written word.

Language has many forms.

Then comes the interpretation. 

*****

I hope you have found some inspiration here to make your lives more creative.  Creativity is found in various forms; so find yours and make your world a better place.

Until May!  Gayle

You can reach me at:  livingartontheedge@gmail.com

 

 

 

 

MARCH, 2015 LIVING THE ARTFUL LIFE

WELCOME BACK!

This month I have been experimenting with transfer methods.  I have used a variety of resources and my favorites are:

Jonathan Talbot's "Collage:  A New Approach" and "Acrylic Image Transfer"
www.jonathantalbot.com

Darlene Olivia McElroy & Sandra Duran Wilson's "Image Transfer Workshop" and "Surface Treatment Workshop"
www.darleneoliviamcelroy.com

Claudine Hellmuth's "Collage Discovery Workshop"
www.claudinehellmuth.com

All are absolutely wonderful references, but I especially like Jonathan Talbot's method as you end with a piece of artwork with no bubbles and he is so personable to deal with.

The following are a few of the results:

 

"A Walk on the Wild Side"

 

"Babel"

"To the Orient With Love"

You may contact me at any time with questions on the techniques at:  bookarts1@aol.com

I am a firm believer that art is to be shared and the more of us that spread that creativity around and encourage others, the better our world will be.

In closing, I want to reference one last book that is a total gem...and fun to read.  It is Austin Kleon's "Steal Like an Artist (10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative".  It has been on the New York Times Bestseller List and every person desiring to be creative needs to read this.

You can now follow me on Pinterest, too...thanks to a wonderful woman I met at Gail Rieke's Valentine-athon I have joined the ranks of the 'rabbit hole'.  Thank you, Maggie, for telling me about it.  

Until next time...Gayle Montgomery bids all of you adieu!

 

 

VALENTINE

SPECIAL EDITION 

 Because it is Valentine' Day I wanted to share a special event I attended on the 7th.

It was a Valentine-athon hosted by Gail Rieke and inspired me to make and post 59 handmade Valentine's.

Gail's home was filled with gifted, spirited, and uniquely creative women...each with their own take on Valentine's Day.  Gail has collected and created Valentine's for years...she has suitcases full and displayed them for all to enjoy.

Join me here with some photos of the event and followed my a few of my own Valentines.

Gail busy in Kitchen.

 The Queen of Hearts

(a.k.a. The Love Activist)

Anita, my table mate.

Maggie, a felter.

Sample of Maggie's felting.

Rhae's Valentine to Gail.

 

A table of talent.

 

One of several Valentine displays of Gail's.

 

 

One of my cards followed by a few more.

So, dear Valentine's wherever you are, start your own Valentine-athon next year.  That's my intent!!!

I close with a 'cheeky' take!

Back in March.